Stephen Jackson – Garnant

November 2017

Sex offender admits growing drugs and staying with child

A CHILD sex offender who was convicted of indecently assaulting a schoolgirl in 2010 was found to be growing cannabis and staying at a house where a girl under the age of 16 was present.

Stephen Jackson, 59, was convicted of indecently assaulting a girl under 14 and gross indecency at Woolwich crown court in 2010, but he was found to be growing ‘a significant amount’ of the class B drug and staying at an address in Ammanford where a child was present last month.

Jackson’s circumstances came to light when a drug warrant was executed at his flat in Maes y Fron, Garnant on October 10.

The sex offender was not at home when police raided the property, and discovered 17 cannabis plants being grown in a tent in a bedroom, with a vent pipe linked up to the chimney.

Police also found plant food, tools for growing and harvesting cannabis and magazines about growing the drug.

After making enquires, police found Jackson was staying at an address in Ammanford.

It was established Jackson had been staying at the address for some time without notifying authorities; failing to comply with of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Further enquiries found a girl under the age of 16 had been occasionally staying at the property; breaching the order.

When police interviewed him, Jackson said he took cannabis to help with depression and had started to grow his own after it got ‘a bit expensive’.

He said he was fully aware of the obligations of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order but had be staying at his acquaintances’ property because it was easier due to the extent of his cannabis-growing set-up.

Jackson confirmed the female child had stayed at the house on ‘at least two or three occasions’ while he had been there.

It was estimated the 17 cannabis plants would have produced drugs to the value of £8,640 at full maturity.

Jackson’s representative, David Williams, requested Llanelli magistrates sentence Jackson earlier than planned as the defendant had a holiday booked.

Jackson will be sentenced for producing a controlled class B drug, two counts of failing to comply with the notification requirements of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order on November 16.